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Observation: Snowbasin Backcountry

Observation Date
3/6/2017
Observer Name
kory
Region
Ogden » Snowbasin Backcountry
Location Name or Route
Snowbasin Backcountry
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Yeah I am putting strong today. It was cold and windy. Almost getting knocked over by wind on high ridges.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Ok riding conditions. In some areas the new snow had all blown away.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
I wonder some times with all the wind in Ogden if our snow is just sublimated or it makes the windslabs so hard they are not easily triggered by skiers. But yes lot of wind again today.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

I was able to pop out a couple of very small pockets in the 50x50' size. These were D1.5 at most and up to 2' deep. Not really a ton of wind slab characteristics on the high ridges mainly at mid elevation SE aspects.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments

No storm slab to speak of today with the new snow not being well connected to due to so much wind striping.

Comments

Honestly not much to note today for avalanche conditions. I would guess that on more open ridges with big fetches and deposit zones you might have seen more wind slab formation but on the North end of Snowbasin I was unable to find much. On and off snowfall tonight into tomorrow really leaves not much for storm slab. I expect most of the hazard to be in wind effected areas. These were very easy to spot today. Not in the usual places though so that could catch people off guard.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate